


Worth a Thousand Words

by MirellaPryce



Series: Fluff Challenge [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is sometimes a thoughtful boyfriend, Fluff, Ghost Ragnor, Ghosts, M/M, Photography, fluff challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 07:04:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8964706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MirellaPryce/pseuds/MirellaPryce
Summary: Alec began to suspect Magnus wasn't just talking to himself.Prompt: Ghosts





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kuro1neko2kun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuro1neko2kun/gifts).



 

Alec could admit he didn’t know as much about Warlocks as he would have liked, considering he was dating one. However, he did think talking to an empty room was still within the realm of strange, even for Warlocks. That’s what Alec thought anyway, the first time he walked in to Magnus’ loft to hear him talking to someone, only to find Magnus perfectly alone.

 

The second time it was still weird.

The fifth time it was mildly concerning.

Then twenty-second time, Alec was wondering if Magnus wasn’t poofing someone out the window every time he came over.

It wasn’t until the thirtieth time or so, Alec heard Magnus having a conversation with himself, that Alec got any clue what was going on.

“No, you don’t get to complain about Alexander coming over. You only have yourself to blame Ragnor. You told me to go after him.”

Alec froze, waiting for a response he knew wouldn’t come. It never did. But somehow, knowing Magnus was – supposedly – talking to Ragnor Fell, the Warlock that had died, made Alec believe he must be able to hear something. Was there some Warlock magic to avoid death, even beyond their immortality? If there was, Alec didn’t learn it that day, as Magnus popped his head into the hall, with a bright smile, and an even brighter, “Alexander!”

Alec melted a little at the way Magnus said his name and mostly forgot about Ragnor Fell for the rest of the night.

 

Alec didn't get any real clues beyond that until they got Jace back. Or rather, until he was dying from swallowing too much of the East River. Magnus was panicking above him, and Alec's ears were ringing, but he was pretty sure everyone else around was shouting his name. Behind it all though, he saw a vague hint of green and horns when he opened his eyes. It was only for a moment, because he was far too busy choking and gagging up water to focus for too long. He was glad for their presence though, because they seemed to be trying to calm Magnus while he couldn’t.

He was glad, and then he passed out again.

When he woke up a day later with Magnus resting beside his infirmary cot, Alec's brain supplied the missing piece.

A ghost.

With that in mind, Alec’s brain began concocting an idea, and running through his inventory of the Institute’s ancient, magical artifacts. It shouldn’t be too risky, and if he was wrong, the worst thing that would happen would he would look foolish in front of his boyfriend. Nothing new really considering.

So, with Magnus’ permission, and a promised surprise, Alec brought Jace over, both of them carefully carrying large, heavy looking bags. When Magnus raised an eyebrow at him, Alec just smirked as best he could, and replied, “Just wait.” With a shrug, Magnus left to the kitchen, while Alec and Jace set up in the living room. Jace watched Magnus leave, a little longer than necessary. He gave Alec a jerky nod and a smile, as he unzipped his own bag, and begun to take out all the different pieces of equipment.

“You can come back in now Magnus!” Jace called, while Alec fiddled to get the last piece attached.

“I should hope so, since this  _is_  my home Shadowhunter,” Magnus said with a roll of his eyes. He stopped short however, when he spotted the contraption in the middle of his living room, and the dark black curtain Alec was hidden underneath. “What is this?” He asked, gesturing to the ancient camera, he hadn’t seen the likes of in over a hundred years.

Jace lifted the curtain, and pulled Alec out so he could explain. He ducked underneath, and looking through the lens, he could see Ragnor more clearly than he had when he’d stepped in the lair. It really was him.

Alec stumbled to find the right words, while Jace fiddled with the focus.“We found this in the Institute. I thought it might be nice to have a photo together. I know there are camera phones, and selfies, but I just remembered we had this recently, and thought maybe we could get Jace to take our photo.” Everything sounded more like a question, but the more he said, the more Magnus’ face seemed to light up.

“Nice Alec,” Jace remarked, sticking his thumb up from beneath the curtain. “Very smooth.”

“Do the photographers need to talk?” Alec sniped back with a roll of his eyes.

“Shut up and sit on the couch. You can be romantic and gross after we take the photo, and I leave,” Jace waved them both over to the couch, without actually looking out.

Magnus smiled properly at that, and took Alec’s hand to lead him to the couch. After finding that Alec couldn’t smile nicely for the camera, Jace just told him to scowl like he always did, and took the photo once he was satisfied with everything. It took a lot longer than a normal photograph, and so both Alec and Magnus had to sit still for several minutes. Magnus managed to keep his smile on the whole time.

“That smile for anyone in particular?” Jace asked knowingly, after he finally re-emerged, and the photo was taken properly.

The smile didn’t leave Magnus’ face as he turned it towards Alec. “Someone,” he whispered, just as Alec turned to face him too.

“I regret asking,” Jace muttered, while the two continued to stare at each other. “Alec, I’m heading out. You can handle all the camera equipment if you’re going to be making googly eyes like that where I can see. Angel! My eyes!” Jace shouted and ran out the door, as Magnus pushed Alec into the couch, and kissed him, like air wasn’t required for breathing.

 

A week later, Alec walked into the loft, his hands, and a small, wrapped square behind his back. He wasn't surprised at all to hear Magnus talking, apparently to himself. He didn't hesitate to interrupt this time though, and walked confidently into the living room. He was mostly certain Magnus would like his gift. Magnus' face lit up as Alec stepped into the room, and his eyes immediately zoomed in on the small package as Alec presented it to him. Just as Magnus was about to tear into the wrapping, Alec said, "Your friend should also see this. If he's still here." This was the part Alec was less certain about, as he didn't have Jace's slight ability to see ghosts. He imagined he only saw Ragnor the one time, because he was dying at the time. 

Magnus startled, and looked to the chair to Alec's left, shock clear on his face. His expression didn't change, even as he turned back to Alec. More hesitantly this time, Magnus carefully opened the wrapping paper, and just stared at the photograph in his lap. 

Alec ducked down, to put a hand on Magnus' knee, and began to quietly explain. "The camera has magic properties. It can see and capture even the image of ghosts. He's still here Magnus. That's why I wanted you to have this." 

Magnus can only stare in shock, mouth wide open, at the photo in front of him. There's him and Alec on the couch, and behind them, smiling ever so slightly at the camera, is Ragnor, just as he had been when he was alive. He flinched, when a splash of water hits the frame, and only then, did Magnus realize he was crying. There's Ragnor. There's his best friend of centuries. He's real. He's a ghost, but he's  _real!_

Alec sat up on the couch, and curled Magnus into his arms, while he cried. And behind them, Ragnor piped up, "Not a bad photograph at all considering I didn't realize I was a subject." Ragnor placed a hand on Magnus' back, and Magnus hiccuped a laugh around his sobbing, so glad to be so loved.

**Author's Note:**

> And so we come to the end of the great Fluff Challenge of 2016.  
> Let's just pretend I won, okay?
> 
> Now go visit kuro1neko2kun for whatever delicious angst she has in store. Tell her I won.  
> Irony is, if I hadn't irked her, my prompt was going to be kittens. Look forward to angsty therapy kitten fic in the future!
> 
> Criticism, constructive or otherwise, is always welcome.
> 
> -Mirella


End file.
